Smith Entertainment Group Chairman and CEO Ryan Smith, Utah Mammoth forward Logan Cooley and president of Hockey Operations for the Utah Mammoth Chris Armstrong speak to the media at the Utah Mammoth Practice and Training Facility in Sandy on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. Cooley has signed an eight-year contract extension worth $10 million annually, the team announced Wednesday morning.
SALT LAKE CITY – At the conclusion of first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Utah Mammoth participated in exit interviews to review the season, answer questions and provide an outlook on the future.
The following is a live blog of Utah Mammoth exit interviews:
Brandon Tanev shared that he was not happy with the way the season played out personally, but he plans to be better from the start next season.
“It wasn’t a year I anticipated or expected to have so, no.”
“For me, it’s an understanding of what I do well & have always done…
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
John Marino shares where Utah can improve the most moving forward:
“It was a big step in the right direction…frankly I think we could’ve won the series too. We have a lot more to show. A lot more maturity in our game to close out games.”
“We played 50 minutes of good hockey…
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
John Marino: “Throughout the whole season, we weren’t maybe uncomfortable in those close kind of games and it bit us in the butt a little there in playoffs. So, we’ve got to be comfortable in those uncomfortable situations and I think we’ll be able to learn from that.”
Kevin Stenlund didn’t have a clear answer on his future but he said he really likes it here and he’ll see what happens.
“We’ll see what happens. I really like it here. I like the guys, I like the staff, I like everything around it.”
“We’ll see what happens.”
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
Yamamoto shared that talks regarding a possible extension haven’t started but he wants to be here.
“Hopefully those will start soon.”
“I love this city. Everyone here, management, players, the fanbase…It’s a very class act organization. I would like to come back here.”
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
Kailer Yamamoto: “I proved that I belong here. Obviously, played in the AHL last year but I feel like I proved this year that I belong here and that I should be in the NHL.”
As an RFA, Barrett Hayton shared that he’d like to remain with the organization and keep developing here.
Noted he loves this group and the city.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
Barrett Hayton: “As a group, we can take a lot of pride in the growth. Obviously, that’s easier said than done right now. We have a bitter taste in our mouth and are disappointed. We wanted to be ramping up for a game today and that’s not the case.”
“Overall, I think we had some good growth this year.”
JJ Peterka on his first year with Utah:
“It’s been fun overall. The guys in the room are awesome. I had a really good time.”
“It was fun to see the group come together. Grow together as a team. It always reflects on the ice.”
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
Cooley says that the playoffs are now the standard:
“The focus switches to now we’re winning in the playoffs.”
“I feel like we maybe scratched the surface of what we can accomplish. We’re going to be a pretty dangerous team to stop for a while.”#TusksUp pic.twitter.com/xxNZYA36P8
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
Cooley says his favorite goal this season was the OT winner in Columbus 🤫🤫🤫 pic.twitter.com/qfsjaNnUIV
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
Sean Durzi says that Utah’s D-core is one of the best in the league.
“If you look at our D-core. To me, it’s if not or can be one of the best in the league.”
“We have more than six guys, seven, eight guys that can play in big moments…That’s going to push us over the edge.”
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
Durzi on his connection to Utah:
“Utah as a state & a community as a whole has made it so welcoming for myself, my family. I think it’s so important that we take pride in being here.”
“This is home…I love it here. It’s an amazing place. I’m really, really happy to be here.”
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
Liam O’Brien on exit interviews:
“This day sucks.”
“This day sucks even more now because I think we could’ve won that series.”
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
Vanecek said that it was a tough year because he didn’t play that many games.
Noted that he had fun with Vejmelka though.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
Vitek Vanecek: “There is a future to win the cup here.”
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
Vanecek on Utah’s cup potential: “This team is young, but what I saw over the season, they’re learning really fast.”
“It’s really good for this group that we made the playoffs because that’s going to be experience. This team is really good. There is a future to win the cup.” https://t.co/AzYkIdDrTC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
Carcone on keeping the playoffs the standard:
“You look at it this year. The President Trophy Winner (Winnipeg) didn’t make it. You look at the Stanley Cup Champs (Florida), they didn’t make it the year after.”
“We have to be happy with making playoffs, but we can’t take it for…
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
Nick DeSimone doesn’t know what the future holds but he’d like to return. Feels like he found his way and fit in here.
“It’s no secret that I love it here.”
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
Mikhail Sergachev gave himself an overall season grade of a B-
Didn’t want to make excuses but shared that it was a hard season.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
Sergachev reflects on his performance in the playoffs alongside Weegar:
“I don’t think we played good enough. We could’ve played a lot better and helped this team. We didn’t.”
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
Weegar said that while he didn’t know much about Utah before being trade, everything has exceeded expectations & he can’t wait for next season.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
MacKenzie Weegar on Utah’s potential:
“There’s no reason for us not to think that we can win the cup.”
“That needs to be the belief now…the expectation needs to be to win the cup here…it’s not just playoffs now. It’s to hoist that cup here.”
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
Alexander Kerfoot also notes that he’s unsure of his future with the Mammoth, but he has nothing but good things to say about the organization.
Says he would love to be part of it but understands that it’s a business.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
Lawson Crouse with perhaps the best line of the day:
“We’re all sad we’re not playing. But we will learn & we will be back.”
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
Crouse wearing the coolest Mammoth hat I’ve seen. pic.twitter.com/U4QZzSvU6S
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
Clayton Keller says that it is playoffs or bust moving forward.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 3, 2026
Following a 4-2 series loss in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Utah Mammoth will officially enter the offseason.
The next notable event for the team will be the NHL Draft on Friday, June 26, 2026, at 5 p.m. MT.
